Supervisors agree to make L.A. County more film friendly

Supervisors want it to be lights, camera, action for filming in Los Angeles County.

Members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve a policy geared at supporting filming activity countywide.

This particular policy effort began in July 2012 when the board directed the county Chief Executive Office to revise the county’s film practice to match the California Film Commission’s Model Film Ordinance, as well as take into account recommendations on best practices to accommodate filming activity.

Some of those include timely and cost-effective issuance of film permits, creating a centralized filming website and requiring those who film to clean the production area of trash and debris and restore it to its original condition before leaving the site.

“This policy will encourage and allow county departments to streamline, modify and/or establish policies, regulation and best practices in their operations to retain and encourage filming activity in Los Angeles County,” reads a report on file with the Board of Supervisors.

Filming has long been one of the major industries in both California and Los Angeles. The two stars on the Los Angeles County seal represent the importance of the motion picture and television industries to the county.

According to the board report, the policy will “retain and increase filming activities in Los Angeles County while balancing the concerns of communities and county government.”

“The county Board of Supervisors recognizes the economic importance of the filming industry to the region in terms of economic activity, tax revenue, jobs and tourism,” the board report reads.

Even without the supervisors’ vote, filming is booming in Santa Clarita, with record levels of filming within the city limits last year.

In 2013, Santa Clarita issued 463 film permits, city officials announced last week. That was an increase of 28 percent over the previous year’s film permits and generated an estimated $30.5 million in revenue for the Santa Clarita Valley.